Ruby Blue

Once again my role as a film selector for my local film club has proffered me the chance to view a film before it is released to the general public, either via cinema or DVD. In the most recent case it was the new film from director Jan Dunn - whose 'Gypo' recently won some excellent reviews from the critics, then disappeared without trace.

Unfortunately I can see a similar fate befalling this film, not because it is a bad film, but simply because it just falls short of having that little something that really successful films have. With Bob Hoskins in the leading role of Jack, a much put-upon, often misunderstood man with a dark past, a touch of class is given to the film - even in those stinkers (ie 'Hook') that Hoskins has appeared in he has brought a touch of class! Backed up by an excellent performance by Josiane Balasko, and some sterling work by the supporting cast all the ingredients appear to be there for an outstanding film, but...

What lets the film down is the fact that the story lines running throughout are all a little obvious. The central concept of a man hitting rock bottom via things happening that are out of his control, rising up, falling again and finding some sort of peace in the end is not a new concept by any means, and here it is only the odd little twist, and the aforementioned performances from the leads, that rise this film above the level of a better than average made-for-TV-movie.

No doubt this film will turn up late night on one of the many film channels on TV, in Britain it will most likely be Film 4 or Sky Movies Drama. If it does then it is worth checking out, there is enjoyment and drama to be had via watching, but just don't expect to come away thinking that you have watched a classic in the making!

Since so far there has not been much useful information about Jan Dunn's low budget melodrama, "Ruby Blue", I will throw out a few observations. The title is a reference to the racing pigeon that much of the story revolves around. Note that the title line in the promotional material incorporates a silhouette of the bird.

The promotional material would lead you to believe that this is a children's film with Bob Hoskins (Jack) and Jessica Stewart (Florrie) having a lot of "Bad Bascomb" (1946) moments in the tradition of Wallace Beery and Margaret O'Brien. They do have some scenes together, the most effective and least contrived segments of the film, but the cute-kid-as-a-redeemer is more side story than central focus. Despite the misleading marketing material there is little here that would appeal to children. Dunn's script is filled out with a host of tedious characters and subplots that detail the life of a depressed widower (Hopkins). Imagine Michelangelo Antonioni expanding the short film "Wasp" (2003) into a 112-minute feature length non-judgmental examination of working-class suburban living.

According to the back of its DVD case, "Ruby Blue" (2001) is "an uplifting journey" and "a warmly human story about life and love". As portrayed here that journey is mostly dull and boring. Hoskins' performance makes it all tolerable as this makes the story seem deeper than it really is; unfortunately this just causes viewers to focus on the missed opportunity as the naturalistic script gives Hoskins so little to work with.

The ending (if you can manage to hang on till then) is a little too tidy, you can't help thinking back on scenes that if cut would have left room for a more convincing resolution. But this was probably quite deliberate as Dunn may want to show that a neighborhood has the capacity to come together to help someone, then instantly turn on him when their paranoia kicks in, and then just as quickly back off and become nice again.

No doubt the film would do a much better job of connecting with viewers if the poor audio did not obliterate much of the dialogue. A closed captioning feature on the DVD would have been an obvious solution but they skimped and did not include it. The French scenes are subtitled but they comprise just another side story.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

This is a truly lovely film, both heart-warming and rending in equal measure.

Bob Hoskins is magnificent, as is all the acting (especially the two little girls), and I wouldn't be surprised to see some Oscar nominations in there.

What I most liked about the film, however, was its understanding of life in lower-middle/working class England, not least the current 'witch-hunting' of SUSPECTED pedophiles. This is highlighted with wit and irony, notably through the stormy relationship between an abject single mother and her (unsurprisingly) problematic offspring.

In short, a 'must see'!